The transition through shadow was as abrupt, and when Jaune's feet touched solid ground, his senses immediately flared outward.
The Mistral Base looked untouched but the surrounding environment told a different story. The architecture surrounding it had fused with the volcanic black stone of the Shadow Realm.
Yet the base stood apart like an island of defiance. The influence of Creation was palpable.
People moved everywhere.
Operatives rushed through the area, both awakened and non-awakened, coordinating, carrying equipment and relaying information. The atmosphere was tense but controlled, like a machine that had been pushed to its limits but had not yet broken.
Then Jaune's gaze shifted toward the center of the base and he saw something surprising.
The catalyzer.
Its roots stretched upward into the air, thick and sprawling like a frozen explosion, while its trunk had been driven deep into the ground as if it had been forcibly embedded there.
Jaune frowned slightly.
This one appeared to be the Volcano area's Catalyzer.
Back then, in the Shadow Realm, it had been… active.
The roots had warped space itself, sending out ripples that distorted the environment. Strange, fruit-like masses had formed and launched outward toward the horizon, spreading the influence of Stalkers.
Now, it was still.
No distortions or ripples. And there were certainly no Stalker fruits. Just a silent, looming structure at the heart of the base.
"What's it doing here?" Jaune asked, his eyes still fixed on it.
Raven didn't slow her stride.
"Velik grabbed it on the way," she said simply.
Jaune blinked. That answer only raised more questions. How did someone just "grab" something like that? What did that even entail? And more importantly, why?
He opened his mouth to ask, but Raven cut him off before he could.
"Questions later," she said flatly. Her tone made it clear that the conversation was over.
Jaune let out a quiet breath and nodded, falling into step beside her and Pyrrha as they made their way deeper into the base.
"You mentioned another Rank 3," Jaune said after a moment.
Raven gave a small nod.
"She arrived during the latter half of the engagement."
Jaune's brows knit together slightly.
Another Rank 3.
That made things… more complicated.
They entered the command center shortly after.
The interior was structured and efficient, filled with large displays projecting tactical information, maps, and data streams. Personnel moved quickly between stations, relaying updates and coordinating responses.
Jaune's eyes scanned the room.
He spotted Qrow first.
The man stood near the center, speaking to a woman whose presence immediately stood out. Clover was nearby as well, adding to the report with his usual composed demeanor.
Jaune focused on the woman. Brown hair tied back into a ponytail. Calm posture and a steady gaze. But it was not her appearance that confirmed it.
It was what Jaune couldn't sense.
His Weakness Rune reached toward her instinctively, probing and searching for flaws or points of instability, for anything that could be exploited.
There was nothing. Not even a hint. It was the same void he had felt when observing other Rank 3 beings.
Jaune's expression tightened slightly.
Another one.
But then something else stood out.
Velik was not there.
Jaune's gaze flicked around the room again, but there was no sign of him.
That was… odd.
Before he could dwell on it further, movement caught his attention.
Taiyang.
He had been standing off to the side, but now he was walking toward them, his expression relaxed despite the circumstances.
Jaune immediately noticed what was missing.
An arm.
Taiyang waved casually with the remaining one, the empty sleeve at his shoulder swaying slightly.
"Man," he said, looking them over. "You guys look beat. Seems like you really got handed a beating."
There was a brief silence as both Jaune and Pyrrha stared at him.
Jaune's mind made a connection.
'Oh. That's where Yang got it from.'
He blinked once, then looked back at Taiyang.
"…That was terrible."
Taiyang coughed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yeah," he admitted. "Bad timing."
Pyrrha exhaled quietly, shaking her head slightly.
"You aren't getting medical attention for that?" She gestured to his missing arm.
"Nah. Once I go back to reality the damage will fix itself. No need to waste multiple healing runes on my trying to fix me up."
Taiyang's expression then shifted, becoming more serious as he looked at her.
"You alright?" he asked. "I wasn't able to stop her from attacking. She disengaged out of nowhere and I was a bit too slow reacting to it."
Pyrrha shook her head.
"It's alright, sir," she said. "No harm done." She paused briefly before adding, "I… actually benefited from it."
Taiyang raised a brow. He looked her over more carefully this time, his gaze sharpening slightly.
"You reached comprehension?" he said.
Though phrased as such, it wasn't a question.
Pyrrha nodded.
"I did. I can advance to Rank 2 now."
Taiyang let out a low whistle.
"Not bad."
His gaze shifted to Jaune next. He studied him for a moment, then raised his brow again.
"Looks like you did too," he said.
Jaune blinked.
"…How can you tell?"
Taiyang smirked faintly.
"Your threat level went up," he replied.
Jaune frowned slightly.
"Threat level?"
Taiyang shrugged.
"Instinct," he said. "You fight enough battles and you start to get a feel for it. You can tell when someone crosses a line. Either you hit comprehension or you've properly stepped into Rank 2 territory."
Jaune considered that for a moment, then gave a small nod.
That… made sense. In a way.
Raven, who had been standing nearby, looked thoroughly uninterested in the conversation.
"Are we done here?" she asked flatly. "Or does the commander want my report too?"
Taiyang shook his head.
"Qrow's handling it," he said.
Jaune glanced back toward the center of the room.
"Who is she?" he asked. "The one Qrow's talking to. She's Rank 3, right?"
Taiyang followed his gaze.
"That's Commander Ying," he said. "Mistral's other Rank 3. She used to be stationed in Oniyuri but after this whole mess, she was forced to take a trip. "
Jaune's eyes flickered with recognition.
So that was her.
"She also brought Velik along when he went to retrieve his fragment," Taiyang added.
Jaune frowned slightly.
"Then where is he?" he asked. "I haven't seen him yet."
Taiyang's expression shifted.
"He's in the training facility," he said. "Trying to contain his new domains."
Jaune blinked.
"Huh? Domains? Like... multiple?"
Taiyang held up his hand slightly.
"Complicated," he said. "Better to wait for Qrow to explain."
Jaune exhaled quietly. It seemed like everything was complicated now.
Fortunately, at that moment, Qrow and Clover finished their report.
Commander Ying gave a short nod, her expression composed as she processed the information. Then she turned slightly and began issuing orders.
Her voice was calm but firm, cutting through the room with authority. Operatives moved immediately, responding without hesitation as tasks were assigned and priorities shifted.
Then she turned and her gaze passed over the room.
And for a brief moment, it landed on Jaune.
Her eyes lingered for just a fraction longer than necessary on the shadow body that his form was composed of, before she turned away and walked out of the command center without a word.
Jaune exhaled slowly.
That had been… something.
Qrow sighed, running a hand through his hair as the tension of the report visibly settled onto him.
Then he turned and started walking toward them.
Qrow did not waste time once he reached them. He gave Jaune a short look, then jerked his head toward the exit in a silent command.
"Come with me," he said.
Jaune blinked, a little caught off guard by the abruptness, but nodded and stepped forward. Pyrrha naturally moved with him, falling into step at his side.
Qrow stopped.
"Not you," he said, glancing at her. "Just him."
Pyrrha paused mid-step, her brows knitting together slightly in confusion.
Jaune looked between them. "What's going on?"
Qrow scratched the back of his neck, already turning to walk again. "Velik wants to talk to you."
Jaune frowned as he followed. "Me? Why does he want to talk to me?"
"Because of that," Qrow said, gesturing vaguely at Jaune's body. "You're merged with a Stalker. Before he left earlier, he said that when you showed up, he wanted a word. Something about your… expertise."
Jaune almost laughed at that, though the sound didn't quite make it out. Expertise. That was one way to describe what he had going on. A very strange, very dangerous kind of expertise.
He glanced back at Pyrrha.
"I'll be back," he said.
She nodded, though her expression still held a trace of concern. "Be careful."
Qrow, already halfway to the exit, raised his voice slightly. "Clover!"
Clover turned, looking like he already knew what was coming and did not like it.
"Take her statement," Qrow said.
Clover opened his mouth, clearly about to protest, but Qrow was already walking away with Jaune. Whatever response Clover had was lost as the distance grew.
They moved through the base at a steady pace, heading toward the deeper sections where the training facilities were located. The noise of the command center faded behind them, replaced by quieter, more contained activity.
For a while, Jaune walked in silence, then, he sighed.
"Alright, come on you old Qrow" he said. "Everyone keeps saying there's time for questions later, but I'm honestly lost right now. Can you just explain what's going on?"
Qrow let out a long breath and reached instinctively toward his waist. His hand found nothing. He paused, staring at the empty space where a flask should have been, then clicked his tongue in mild annoyance.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath.
He dropped his hand and sighed again before finally answering.
"In simple terms," he said, "Sleepless lost."
Jaune blinked.
"Lost?"
"Badly," Qrow added. "Bad enough that they're probably going to crawl into a hole and stay quiet for a while."
Jaune frowned. "Because Velik got his fragment back?"
Qrow shook his head.
"No," he said. "Because Velik… can probably be considered as unbeatable now."
Jaune slowed slightly. "What does that mean?"
Qrow glanced at him. "It means exactly what it sounds like."
Jaune shook his head. "That doesn't explain anything."
Qrow exhaled.
"Originally, Velik was already very powerful, and considered the Strongest of the Rank 3s in this current day and age. That's due to the fact that he integrated a meta rune into his Master rune. That feat alone has never been done before, and it practically makes him invincible in one on one combat."
Qrow paused.
"However, if at least 3 Rank 3's were to gang up on him, they'd be able to defeat him. Now however, due to Sleepless's colossal fuck up, Velik has essentially become unbeatable."
"I... still don't get it."
"Alright," he said. "I'll explain. But first, you need a little bit of context."
They turned a corner, heading down a quieter corridor.
"You've got a basic idea of how domains work, right?" Qrow asked.
Jaune nodded slowly. "Basic but not fully."
"That's enough," Qrow said. "Essentially, a domain has two main functions. First, it turns the surrounding space into the Rank 3's personal territory. Their personal turf."
He gestured outward as they walked.
"Inside that space, the normal laws don't apply. Not the laws of the Dream or the laws of Reality."
Jaune's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened.
"That's why Rank 3s can bring their full power into the real world," Qrow continued. "And why they can physically enter the Dream Realm. The system doesn't restrict them the same way."
Jaune absorbed that, then asked, "And the second function?"
Qrow's expression turned more serious.
"The second is the dangerous one," he said. "Because it's their territory, any rune power they have, can manifest anywhere within that space."
Jaune frowned. "I don't follow."
Qrow glanced at him. "Normally, rune phenomena originate from the user's body and spread outward. Right?"
Jaune nodded.
"In a domain, that limitation disappears," Qrow said. "The entire domain is considered an extension of the user. That means their rune power can appear anywhere inside it. Instantly."
Jaune's steps slowed as understanding hit him like a weight.
"So…" he said slowly, "they could… just manifest an attack inside someone's body?"
Qrow gave a grim nod.
"Exactly."
Silence fell between them for a moment.
Jaune felt a chill crawl up his spine. That was not just powerful but absolute.
"They could kill anyone instantly," Jaune said quietly.
"Anyone below Rank 3," Qrow corrected. "Against another Rank 3, it turns into a fight over control. Domain versus domain."
Jaune swallowed.
"That's why they're called demigods," Qrow added. "Anything below them is basically irrelevant in comparison."
Jaune's mind flashed back to the Shadow Realm. To the Formless Stalker's domain and to Lionheart's.
If that domain had not been contested by the Stalker and Velik's fragment...
They would have all died without even understanding what happened.
Jaune exhaled slowly, forcing himself to steady his thoughts. He had a deeper understanding of domain clashes now. It was essentially two authorities clashing for control over the viable space. If one's domain was stronger, they'd be able to simply manifest phenomena in another Rank 3's body and kill them.
"So what does that have to do with Velik?" he asked.
Qrow's lips curved slightly.
"Everything," he said. "Because when Velik split off a fragment of himself and threw it into the Shadow Realm, he wasn't just losing the power of his domain and his runes."
They reached another corridor, quieter still.
"He was setting a trap."
Jaune frowned. "A trap?"
"Indeed. A very, very sinister trap for everyone," Qrow said. "LUCID, Sleepless, and even that Formless Stalker which tried taking control of his fragment."
Jaune shook his head. "I don't get it."
Qrow looked at him, and a sharp, chilling grin took over a portion of his face.
"Tell me kid," he said. "What's the one property of meta runes that separates them from a regular rune?"
"The unblockable aspect...?" he asked. Unlike regular runes whose rune phenomena can be blocked if you knew how, meta runes could only be defended against by Aura, which acted as a natural barrier against it.
But even then, it could only function as a passive defense.
Qrow seemed satisfied at that.
"Good," he said. "Now tell me kid, what happens when something without Aura comes into contact with a meta rune?"
Jaune's steps slowed to a stop and his eyes widened as a blooming comprehension seemed to dawn in his mind.
The Formless Stalker.
No Aura.
Velik's Darkness meta rune.
His eyes widened.
"It… gets controlled..." Jaune said.
The darkness meta rune in which Velik owned, while technically wasn't considered as a shadow rune, it had ties directly to the Shadow Realm, with its user being able to freely enter and exit at will.
Qrow's smile sharpened.
"Exactly."
They resumed walking.
"The Darkness meta rune isn't just about shadows," Qrow continued. "It's tied directly to the Shadow Realm. It can control darkness in all its forms."
Jaune's voice dropped.
"…Umbra."
Qrow nodded.
"It seems you finally understand. Stalkers, as we have recently come to find out, all have an instinctive craving towards power. Third variants, as intelligent as they might be, aren't exempt from this. The Formless Stalker walked straight into it," he said. "It wanted the power and wanted the Master Rune. So it willingly merged itself with Velik's fragment."
"And got taken over instead," Jaune finished.
"Yep. What's even more interesting is the fact that Velik finessed it perfectly. If he made a single mistake... he would have lost it all. But the fact was..."
"He didn't. He gambled away his power... and won him big." Jaune let out a quiet breath, his head shaking slightly. "That's… insane."
Qrow's smile turned even more sinister. "Heh. Gets better."
Jaune glanced at him. "There's more?"
"Of course there's more," Qrow said. "Remember our talk about domains? Now think for a second. What about the Grimm that was inside Velik's fragment?"
Jaune blinked.
"…Right."
"That was the most ingenious part," he said. "We didn't even need the extractor. The dumb Formless Stalker did the hard work and went an absorbed it for us."
Jaune stared at him.
"The Gheist grimm couldn't resist the absorption." Qrow continued. "It was still dormant when it got pulled in. Timing was everything. A few seconds later and it would've woken up and fought back, considering that we all got dragged into the Dream Realm. But it was too late. So all Velik had to do... was to get close to his Fragment and merge back with it."
Jaune exhaled slowly.
"So now…"
"Now Velik gets everything," Qrow said. "His original domain, the Stalker's domain and even the Grimm's domain."
Jaune's thoughts stilled.
Three.
Three domains.
Qrow gave a low hum.
"Like an old Mistralian saying," he added. "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
Qrow paused and his chilling grin disappeared, only to be replaced by a thoughtful look. "Only... this time, I suppose the cicada was actually the oriole itself."
Jaune let out a breath that was almost a laugh.
"Sleepless basically delivered him a gift," he said.
"Yeah," Qrow replied. "They delivered a delicious meal directly to the mouth of a lion. And then, got eaten for their trouble."
Jaune shook his head again, still trying to process it. Speaking of lions...
"What about Lionheart?" he asked. "What happened to him?"
Qrow snorted.
"He ran," he said. "Same as the rest. They realized they were done the moment Velik got whole again."
That made sense. There was no fighting something like that.
They finally reached the training facility.
The doors were heavy, reinforced, and sealed tight. Qrow stepped forward and triggered the mechanism.
The doors hissed open.
Jaune stepped inside and stopped.
Velik.
For the first time, Jaune saw him clearly. He hovered in the air, seated in a meditative position.
His hair fell to his shoulders in wild, unrestrained strands, framing an impressively handsome face that was calm and unreadable. His eyes were deep, endless pools of obsidian that seemed to swallow light rather than reflect it.
His body…
Jaune's breath caught slightly.
From the neck down, it was entirely shadow.
Almost exactly like Jaune's, except unlike Jaune's own, it was… perfected.
Massive and defined. Muscles layered over muscles in a way that felt almost exaggerated, like a sculptor had taken the concept of strength and pushed it to its absolute limit. His torso bore a perfectly defined structure, each line and contour precise, direct with 10 pack abs. His arms and legs were thick, powerful, like pillars carved from living darkness.
He was still.
But the space around him felt heavy and dense.
Like it was made of liquid mercury. And even gravity itself appeared to bend slightly in his presence.
Jaune stood there, watching him.
The man who had just become something beyond every Rank 3.
Waiting.
.
.
AN: What do you think of the plot so far? Not too bad eh?